SALES & MARKETING
The remedy to revive sagging sales
BY MARK OVERBYE
My inbox has an email I ’ d rather not reread . Those lurking numbers sting my eyes .
Pesky statistics confirm daily challenges . They quantify why few want a repeat of 2024 . Compared with Covid numbers , sales in some categories have fallen precipitously . Those late to the game wonder where customers have fled , how to navigate rougher seas , and survive on more scarce dollars . Industry vets shrug , knowing the seasonal and cyclical nature of this industry is once again revealing its ugly side .
Encouraging , however , was a recent meeting with a third-generation dealer with a fresh plan . “ Fiberglass is flat , pontoons are moving but we really need something fresh , something to excite buyers ,” he quipped . Attempting to simultaneously differentiate themselves from competitors while reviving door swings , I found his quest refreshing .
He ’ s fully awake . He sees an industry languishing , seeking answers . Tossing out hope and crossed fingers as operational building blocks , he ’ s taking action toward creating buyers . He ’ s acutely aware that spending buyers are more stingy . But he
He sees an industry landguishing , seeking answers . Tossing out hope and crossed fingers as operational building blocks , he ' s taking action toward creating buyers . knows the love of boating hasn ’ t gone away . Enthusiasm for participation YOY isn ’ t down .
How to cure sagging sales ? Create a reason to buy , some excitement is key .
Smartly , he doesn ’ t agree that lower prices on last year ’ s goods define excitement . Funny , that ’ s the rampant strategy so widely adopted . Not funny . The most effective fisher people know about changing bait until the most attractive one gets hits . They also know fish aren ’ t going to jump in the boat , there ’ s some special effort involved . Same in sales .
So , he ’ s striking deals with fresh-thinking brands , changing up show tactics , and lacing up his customer ’ s shoes every day to ensure the right perspective . Doing things differently in the future is his mantra .
He knows screaming , buy my stuff , louder isn ’ t going to help . Nope , that plan is for the hopeless masses howling verses from the hymnal of lost promises . He knows a better way to open wallets is to think like a gardener , planting colorful red roses in a sea of white daisies . Curiosity attracts without saying a word .
Fearlessly embracing the future , seeking new songs then turning up the volume . That ’ s a respectable hallmark that consistently wins . A reflection . In December 1984 , an unusual rescue unfolded in the freezing waters of the w , near the coast of Chukotka , Russia . A pod of nearly 3,000 beluga whales became trapped in fast-forming sea ice . With the ice thickening around them and
PHOTO CREDIT : © ADOBE STOCK - SNOWING12
14 december 2024 / january 2025 www . boatingindustry . com